Brake-beam fulcrum



Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,508

w. c. HEDGCOCK ET AL BRAKE BEAM FULCRUM Filed Oct. 23, 1924 Patented Feb. 28, 1928'.

UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WiLLIA cfnnneoocx, or CHICAGO, ILLInoIs, Am) LOREN L. WHITNEY, OFJHAM- MoNnnvniAnA, ASSIGNORS TOAMERIGAN STEEL soonnnins, or CHICAGO, ILLI- NOIS, A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY.

BRAKE-BEAM. FULGRUM;

Application filed October 23, 1924. Serial No. 745,295.

This invention relates to a brake-beam fulcrum.

One object of the invention is to provide a bar of metal to be made into a brake-beam fulcrum and which in bar form is properly shaped to facilitate the making of a brakeor a blank from which the brake-beam fulcrum is made, I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 4- is an enlarged sectional view taken in the plane of line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the plane of line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 66 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a continuous bar from which the section shown in Fig. 2 is cut.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, and more particularly first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the fulcrum '10 is integrally formed and has two spaced legs 11 between which a brake lever (not shown) is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin (not shown) extending through openings 12 in the legs 11. One end of the fulcrum member is provided with a tension rod seat 13, while the other end has oppositely exa tending feet 14 forattachment to the brakebeam compression member. I

In the manufacture of brake-beam fulcrums an excess amount of material usually is accumulated at one end of the fulcrum for the purpose of providing a proper tension rod seat. Usually this is done by an up setting method, such upsetting method involving additional steps, which in turn increases the cost of the final product. Like wise additional-expense is incurred by providing enlarged upset portions or bosses in the legs 11 for providing pivot pin holes which have sufficient bearing area.

To overcome the various upsetting steps and to reduce generally. the cost of manufacture of brake-beam fulcrums, and at the same; time to provide a simple and durable fulcrum adapted to meet the various requirements'under service-conditions, I have pro-v vided a bar, as shown in Figs. 2to 6 inclusive, from which the fulcrum can be easily, quickly, and cheaply made. This bar is variable in thickness, the end'portion's 15 being of less thickness than the intermediate or elongated central portion 16. Itmight be said that the central portion of the bar, or that portion of the bar intermediate the end portions, has an enlargement in the nature of a boss. The blank or bar, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, after being heated and having its ends shaped and twisted, is bent at its middle portion so that'a relatively thick bent end portion is provided, in which the tension rod seat maybe formed without upsetting the metal at that point. Like wise the metal at the pin holes 12 is relatively thick so that the bearing surface provided in said holes is relatively great, and such bearing surface is provided without first upsetting the metal at such points.

It is seen, therefore, that a relatively strong, simple, and eflicient brake-beam fulcrum is provided from a single blank or from a larger bar 17 rolled and shaped as shown in Fig. 7.

We claim:

1. A blankfrom which a brake-beam fulcrum may be made, comprising a bar of predetermined thickness having an elongated enlargement extending throughout the range of the possible location of the bearing openings. v I

2. A blank from which a brake-beam fulcrum maybe made, comprising a bar of predetermined thickness having 'an elongated enlargement extending throughout the range of the possible location of the bearing holes in both legs and the space therebetween to .Fig.2 is preferably a rolled bar and is out 7 i form a single and continuous portion of increased metal.

3. A blank from which a brake-beam fulcrum may be made, comprising a metal bar of predetermined thickness, and having an elongated enlargement providing stock of increased thickness for forming bearings, by

holes selectively located throughout the length of said enlargement.

4, A brake-beam fulcrum having a metal body portion of. predetermnied thickness, and enlargements on the legs thereof. providing portions of increased thickness along its length throughout the range of the possible location of the bearing holes.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of October; 1924.

WILLIAM C. HEDGCOCK. LOREN L. WHITNEY. 

